父母

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 父母 is read ふぼ and is a noun referring to a father and mother together.
• Basic usage: Express living with them as 父母と住む and their relation to students as 生徒の父母.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Father and mother as a pair
  • 父母 combines the two terms to mean parents and does not single out only one parent in these contexts.
• 父母 and 両親
  • 両親(りょうしん) also refers to both parents and is common in everyday speech. 父母 also suits formal group references in school, ceremony, and document contexts.
• Relationship marked by の
  • In 生徒の父母, の identifies whose parents are meant. It expresses a relationship, not ownership by the students.